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We stocked up on cutlery and cooking utensils next. I chose cups, glasses, and chopping boards that said “Home Sweet Home” and “Home Is Where The Heart Is.” Cleo chose the pots, cooking dishes, and dish towels.
We were laughing our way through the store, and I had more fun than I remembered ever having.
I’d never done much shopping, except for a few online purchases. My father not only had control of my wardrobe but also what kind of makeup and hair products I used.
Cleo stopped at a café on the way home, and I ordered a large coffee for myself and a giant muffin and a cupcake. One was breakfast, the other dessert. Cleo laughed at my enthusiasm, only getting a black coffee for herself.
I ate in the car, having finished both by the time we arrived back home. One of the security guards, who’d introduced himself as Mal, helped us carry all our bags inside. Cleo put everything away while I rinsed plates and dried them, stacking them up on the counter.
I spent the rest of the day helping Cleo, who showed me how to bake apple pie and cook mac and cheese from scratch. When I went to sleep that night, I didn’t feel as lonely or as useless.
* * *
“I’ll get it,” Cleo called out when there was a knock on the front door.
Since I was still busy devouring my breakfast, I waved her off with my fork, my mouth too full to respond.
Freya came around the corner in a cloud of energy and happiness. It basically radiated out of her. “Love what you’ve done with the place.”
“Thanks. I thought minimalism would work well with a house this big.”
She took a seat on one of the four barstools I’d purchased yesterday after I’d received a credit card in the mail. I’d also bought a mattress that would hopefully get delivered later today. Cleo helped me pick out sheets after she got over the shock of finding out there wasn’t even a bed in the house.
“Gabriel forgot to furnish the house, didn’t he?”
I shrugged. “It’s okay. At least this way I get to choose everything.”
“You know, it’s okay to get angry at him. He’s an idiot. I mean, who forgets to buy furniture?”
I was angry all right. But I’d learned early on that, as a woman, I had no power in this world. And the last thing I wanted to do was piss off my husband, no matter how much I wanted to yell at him. I was grateful he’d ignored my call since it had given me time to calm down.
I’d never had so much freedom. It was terrifying. It was exhilarating. It gave me hope. Hope that maybe I could have a life without fear. I’d never be fully free, but maybe I could carve out a little bright spot for myself in the dark world I’d been born into. As long as Gabriel ignored me, I could do what I wanted for the first time in my life.
“It’s all good.” She raised a brow at me. “Really. Maybe we can even do some furniture shopping today.”
“All right then. I’ll drop it for now. But don’t think I won’t give him hell since you won’t.”
As nice as her family was, her words scared me. I didn’t want her to get hurt on my account. I didn’t need her to stand up for me. “Please don’t say anything. I promise I don’t mind.”
She studied my face and eventually nodded. “Fine. But you let me know when you’re ready for me to give him hell.”
“If that day ever comes, I promise I will.”
“Good. Now let’s get on the road. Mom takes her shopping trips seriously, and we have a lot of shops to hit.”
Finishing the last of my coffee, I grabbed my jacket from the back of the stool and shrugged it on. I had exactly two outfits left since I’d given most of my clothes away. And as soon as I’d bought new stuff, they’d follow the same fate as all my other clothes.
* * *
“Another T-shirt? Really?”
Grinning at Freya, I added the top to the pile already draped over my arm. “What’s wrong with T-shirts?”
I’d only chosen shorts, T-shirts, and jeans so far. I also had my eye on a few sweaters. I’d buy them two sizes too big because I’d always wanted something comfortable to lounge in. Sweatpants were next on the list of my plan to be comfortable when at home.
“For one, you have one of the nicest bodies I’ve ever seen. It needs to be shown off. And two, you’ll be going to a ton of fancy events, so you’ll need a few fancy dresses and shoes, at least.”
I grimaced at the thought of the boring events I’d always hated attending, but I understood that it was part of my new life. And if that was all I had to do, I could suck it up. “Fine. We’ll get some dresses after I try on this stuff.”
